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The breeding pair builds its nest up to 50′ above the ground, usually in a rainforest tree.The nest is a neat, solid, compact mass of tightly woven palm leaves, sticks and stems, in which the female lays one large white egg. Before mating, the male and female crowned pigeon will preen each other carefully while perched on the fork of a tree branch. Continuing with the elaborate courtship ritual, the male makes his unique call as he fans his tail up and down vigorously The female pigeon responds by spreading her wings and raising them up as she runs alongside the male with slightly bent legs, hissing along the way. He also displays his feathery colorful crest to the female by nodding his lowered head. The loud, booming call of the male Victoria crowned pigeon resounds throughout the rainforest during the bird’s fall breeding season. The Victoria crowned pigeon apparently has no natural predators in the forest other than man, who hunts the colorfully plumed pigeon for its beautiful feathers and meat, which is considered quite a delicacy by some cultures. The bird is supposedly named for Queen Victoria, who had a penchant for wearing elaborate feathered headwear. Members of the genus Goura do not have a gallbladder and also lack an oil gland for preening. Pigeon perch A crowned pigeon perches in the trees of its lush rainforest home. This sedentary bird nests close to rivers and swamps where vegetation is dense, and in virgin forests, far away from the crush of human civilization. Some populations have been found in the Jimi Valley, at elevations between 1,500-2,300′. The Victoria crowned pigeon lives in the lush rainforests, which are rich in fruit trees for the birds to feed on.The pigeon also occupies muddy lowland flats in swamps and sago palm forests, as well as drier forest in the tropics of New Guinea. Status: Listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List CITES, Appendix II.Traveling in small flocks, the colorful Victoria crowned pigeon makes a dazzling sight as the birds search their forest habitat for food that has fallen from the trees. Habitat/range: Occupies swamp and sago palm forests, as well as drier forests, usually in the extreme lowlands of New Guinea and nearby islands.
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The chicks are fed with a highly nutritious crop milk produced by the parents and regurgitated to the young. The chick will fledge approximately four weeks after hatching and the parents may continue to feed the fledgling for another two to three months. Both parents incubate the egg (about 30 days) and care for the chick. Reproduction: The Victoria crowned pigeon builds a rather solid platform nest of sticks and leaves in which a single egg is laid. When threatened, they may use an aggressive display where they turn sideways to their opponents and raise their wings making them look much larger and possibly more threatening.ĭiet: This large bird feeds on the ground, eating seeds, fallen fruits and insects.Ĭommunication: During courtship, the male will duck his head low while fanning his tail feathers out, both head and tail bob up and down. Size: Crowned pigeons are the largest pigeons in the world, with the Victoria crowned pigeon being, approximately 29 inches (74 cm) long and weighing up to 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg).īehavior: Usually found in pairs or small groups, these large pigeons spend most of their time on the ground. The bird may be easily recognized by the unique, white-tipped “tabs” on its fan-shaped crest. Description: The Victoria crowned pigeon is powder-blue with elegant lace-like crests, maroon breast and red eyes.